segunda-feira, 4 de novembro de 2013

As a freelance violist, I am required to wear head-to-toe black (3/4 sleeve to long sleeved top, and pants or an ankle length skirt). I'd love some ideas on how to update my look! I need to have a wide range of motion for my upper body, and some sort of layering ideas might be nice as well, because I never know what the job conditions will be! I also tend to stick to super comfortable shoes, as I never know how long the walk will be from my car to the venue.Can't wait to hear your suggestions! :-)Jennifer

With such restrictions it can be hard to dress yourself and even harder to express your personal style! But of course you can do something about it. Just keep in mind it will likely be more troublesome than regular clothes shopping!

Basics

You probably already own these but begginers should really get going and buy these staples:

black pants (in something other than denim),

a black maxi skirt if it fits your style (look for one with a lot of fabric like maxi circle skirts)

comfortable plain black tops in all sleeve lengths and necklines that look good on you

a black cardigan

After these you should be ready to make a good bunch of different outfits to get you started. And the toughest part about this will be the shoes. Try them on, seach online reviews and whatnot.

a low heeled pump (search for "commuting shoes" in corporate oriented websites like corporette.com for classic and polished ideas)

and even sandals or booties if you'd like.

Keep in mind the rules and your feet first and you should be good. Try to find a subtle way to display your style with shape or leather finishes.

Accessorizing

This can be a tough one. Is it even allowed? If it is, try to play your instrument at home to make sure it doesn't make any noise or come in your way. Good ideas could be stud earrings, rings or necklaces.

You already know accessories are a big oportunity to display your style and it's unlikely you'll need to go out and buy more. Just use your own! Keep in mind that at a concert the moment is most likely not about you so don't make a show of yourself! Keep jewelry classic and understated if you are ever in doubt!

Detailing

If you are going to play in these concerts for a long time it only makes sense to invest in pieces that are a little special to you. Express your style with creative neckline decor, cuts, shapes and subtle patterns and texture like brocade pants or a wrap top. Just try it on at home while playing to make sure your clothes never hinder your performance. And with this you get to create something that's a little more special according to the rules! Let's improve the outfit above with detailing.

This is just to illustrate the idea, choose pieces that fit you and your personal style :)

You

Last but not least comes you. Explore the mood of your looks with different manis and makeup looks. You may have some restrictions on it so ask first. Still, the first outfit would give two very different vibes in nude vs. red nail polish, don't you think? And there is usually no limit to what you can do with your hair so experiment with updos, straightening, soft waves, until you have a "back-up" of looks you fell, look and play amazingly in!